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That’s what The Economist calls our President. (His $20 billion “shakedown” of BP is also reminiscent of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez). In his words,

“I will meet with the chairman of BP and inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required...”

So now BP has offered up to the magic politicians a bounty of $20 billion. Seems like a shakedown to me.

What are the rules? Who gets to put in a claim? What constitutes damage? What if I feel that the White house is only awarding money to Democrats (or Republicans or Methodists or whatever)?

What about the guy who owns a Quicky- Mart or restaurant that has a 30% reduction in sales because tourists aren’t coming though? What about the company that sells napkins to said restaurant? Now even strippers want to collect their due.

“I think Obama did absolutely the right thing by putting the maximum amount of pressure on these weasels… I’d go in there with a machine gun if I were president and say, ‘Hey, you put that money in here or you’re not getting out of the room…’ I think this is the best thing Obama did in the entire mess, getting the $20 billion.”

No. It isn’t. I don’t like BP either. BP has been led by phony green panderers who spent zillions advertising BP as “Beyond Petroleum.” The company pretended it would get lots of energy from wind, solars and biofuels. Had BP paid attention to its real business (finding, extracting and refining oil),

“with a greater emphasis on operations and safety, perhaps this crisis could have been averted...”

We have rules in America. he court system will sort out who did what, and BP will pay big. Obama administration’s rhetoric about “kicking ass” and “putting a boot on the neck” of BP is inappropriate. That shouldn’t be the attitude of a powerful government towards citizens, even those who have erred.